What's this all about?

Spring finally came after the rough winter I think everyone had and now it's (somehow) almost Summer! Welcome to the newly revamped Artemis in the Wilderness Blog! I wanted to get this going again to take you along on my frolicking, foraging, wildcrafting, botanizing, and herbal adventures. This will also function as a chronological wild plant calendar and a venue for you to add your thoughts, recipes, and notes on your adventures. Let's go outside and play!

What's going on in the woods right now?

Spring and Summer are the most prolific time of year for the plants and, consequently, for us to eat and make all kinds of goodies. For the past week, my daughter and I have been focused on foraging mulberries. I think mulberries might just be one of the tastiest and most overlooked berries, along with one of my favorite native berries (okay, I say many plants are my favorites). There's two species you'll usually see around here, mostly the native red mulberry (Morus rubra), and sometimes the non-native white mulberry (Morus alba). They can also hybridize for a berry that can be somewhat pinkish. I think the red taste the best. 

A Legacy to be Shared

Lately it's really come through loud and clear how important it is to teach my daughter how to forage and wildcraft (this means foraging medicinal herbs, in case you didn't know). It's good in so many ways: 

• We bond with each other and mother nature and the plants, while creating a connection to place.
• We learn together and laugh together.
• She will inherit a trade she can use to support herself.
• I'll be confident that she will always be able to feed herself, and with food that has the most vitality.

The best way by far to harvest mulberries is with a tarp! Shake the tree gently over the tarp. And this is definitely a case for going after the "low-hanging fruit." I use this as a metaphor in foraging to teach to take it easy on yourself, but in this case, it's literal! 

Okay, so if you don't want your hands to look like this, you might want to wear gloves, but I kind of like it. Plus, it washes off quickly. Ripe mulberries are pretty soft, so you need to refrigerate and use them quickly. Here's some great ideas: Mulberry Harvesting - 10 Ideas of What to do with Mulberries

Like all berries, especially the darkly colored ones, these are super good for you because they're packed with anthocyanins. They have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions (Read more: Anthocyanins: What Should I Know About Them?). I found out some good info on this and other phytochemicals last weekend at the fabulous Midwest Women's Herbal Conference from Lisa Ganora. (Check out my pics of the conference.)

Always something to look forward to!

I'm so looking forward to heading down this trail with you! Just to give you a sneak peek of what is to come: 

Elderberry flowers, soon to be fruit! Another one of my favorite native anthocyanin-rich berries.

My yummy brew of leftover forageables: pickled ramps and nettles!

Stay tuned and happy forest frolicking!

Please comment and share. Thanks bunches!

Allergies: How to Deal and Overcome

It's my favorite season of the year, spring! Everything is being reborn, rejuvenated, growing, and blooming; it's green and beautiful everywhere you look around here! However, with blooming comes pollen, great for the natural world, but not always for us. So sniffles, runny noses, watery eyes, and sneezes have started to bloom, too, not as pretty. People often ask me what I do about allergy season, so I wanted to share a few things I've learned over the years of my own struggle.
First, let's talk a little about the science of allergies (just a little, I promise). In the most basic sense, allergies are caused by inflammation.  The respiratory and digestive systems and liver process waste and foreign substances in the body and are supposed to protect us from toxins.  However, when these systems are not working properly or are overloaded, they may attack things they usually wouldn't, like pollen. The immune system senses these invading substances and it sets off this vicious cycle: antibodies are created, which create histamines, which produce inflammation of the mucous membranes.
Now the real question, what do we do about it???
First, we want to quell the immediate symptoms, so we can get some relief and get to a place where we can work on the deeper issues.

Options for dealing with acute symptoms:

• 1g of Vitamin C with bioflavonoids (restricts the inflammation), preferably with Vitamin B, and a calcium magnesium supplement (these are all contained in the supplement Emergen-C and mix easily into water)
• 1/2-1 dropperful of echinacea tincture every 1/2 to 1 hour as needed until symptoms begin to abate
• Rinse with a neti pot
• Do an herbal steam over a pot of steaming water with eucalyptus or thyme herbs or a few drops of essential oils
• Take a shower to wash off allergens

Burdock

Yellow dock

 Longer term options:

• Nourish the liver with herbs such as dandelion, burdock, and yellow dock. Put a few tablespoons of roots of one or a combination of the herbs into a pint of water while still cold. Bring to a boil and simmer gently, covered for 5 minutes. Refrigerate and heat up about a half cup at a time and drink several times per day. *Note: these are all bitter herbs and are supposed to taste bitter; the bitter taste stimulates the liver and the digestive system. However, the yellow dock is super bitter, so should be mixed with one of the other herbs.*
• Eat local honey and bee pollen, as recently collected as possible, daily. It's like a mini-vaccination.
• Do a neti pot or two daily during the allergy season.
• This is a new one I just learned about, but seems to work pretty well: eat 1/2 teaspoon of grated horseradish a few times a day until symptoms abate, then eat sporadically during the month as a preventative.
• Drink lots of fluids, including fresh vegetable juices.
• Lay off the dairy. I know this is really tough, but it makes a huge difference.
• Cut down on the sugar.
• Consume warm and hot food and beverages, rather than cold.
• Boost your immune system by eating healthy foods, including lots of fermented foods to improve digestion and medicinal mushrooms.
• Goldenrod tea: 3 tablespoons dried leaves steeped in a quart of boiled water, covered. Drink two cups once to twice daily.
• Stinging nettle: Eat fresh, lightly wilted (the active compound is deactivated once it dries), or take a dropperful of tincture a couple times a day.
• Drink green tea.
• And, saving the best for last: eat chocolate! It needs to be dark chocolate with low sugar, but still chocolate!

Goldenrod

There's so much more to say and explain, but here's a good start. I'll talk soon about collecting some of these herbs. In the meantime, tell me how it goes, what else works for you, or ask questions.

Green Blessings!

Happy Birthday to Me and Rebirth to Spring!

Welcome and welcome back!
Every year on my birthday, I reflect through writing on the year and years past.  This year, I decided to take that writing right here, to the blog.  This also helps me continue on the mission I started last year, my life's purpose: to educate about nature.  This mission became more clear after reading "Last Child in the Woods."  In the book, the author shares the idea that people are not likely to protect what they cannot name.  Once people can name a plant or animal, they start to recognize it, see it's beauty and connect with it, and they are more likely to conserve it.
Last year was full of botanizing (or going hunting for new plants to id and learn about).  I make resolutions on my birthday instead of at the new year; one of this year's resolutions is to get out into the woods even more.  It's been working out pretty good so far and I've already seen some new-to-me plants.
Here's some spring ephemerals (flowering plants that are only around for a short time in the spring) and other goodies that I've seen recently and may be new to you.

A buckeye (Aesculus spp.) bud, these can get huge!

Chickweed (Stellaria spp.) can be a pest to gardeners, but doesn't have to. It's super nutritious and delicious!

So exciting, the first trillium of the year; can't wait to see them flower!

Woah, the first violet of the year, already!

Up close and personal with harbinger of spring (Erigenia bulbosa). It's in the carrot family. Can you tell from the leaves? Yup, spring is here!

So cool, the paintbrush-like terminal bud of the pawpaw (Asimina triloba), that Audubon supposedly used for a paintbrush, and the round, fuzzy flower buds soon to turn a deep maroon when they open.

Amazing yellow spicebush flowers (Lindera benzoin). The bark smells like the spice it was substituted for by the pioneers, allspice.

The first toothwort (Dentaria laciniata/Cardamine concatenata) blossoms of 2012 with their jagged narrow leaves and horseradish-flavored, tooth-shaped root.

Okay, now that you know what they are, get outside and find your own!  Just make sure you tell me about them.  Happy hunting!

Putting Away the Ark and Getting Out the Camera

Rue Anemone (Thalictrum thalictroides)

Ok, ok, I know, everybody here in Ohio is tired of the ark jokes.  Just to fill you in, if you live somewhere else, it has been the rainiest April EVER in the recorded history of Ohio with 13.52 inches of rain!  Yeah, kinda insane.  Consequently, the ark jokes overfloweth.

Though we are all water-logged here, the good news is that the wildflowers and mushrooms have been more abundant than ever.  As I've been super duper busy with school and the countdown to finals, I haven't gotten around to posting the tons of pictures I've taken or writing about the spring blossomings (sorry).

So this will mostly be a picture gallery to catch you up.  Enjoy and don't forget to comment; I'd love to hear all about your spring adventures.

Redbud flowers (Cercis canadensis)

The buds and flowers of the Redbud are sooo tasty!  Great in salads.

Ground ivy (Glechoma hederacea)

Ground ivy is a mint and removes lead from the body.

Dwarf Larkspur (Delphinium tricorne)

Ramps/Wild Leeks (Allium tricoccum)

Ramps are a native delicacy in some areas.  

Use like onions, especially good sauteed in olive oil with morels.

Sweet White Violet (Viola blanda) 

Toad Trillium (Trillium sessile)

Celandine Poppy (Stylophorum diphyllum)

Jacob's Ladder (Polemonium reptans)

Wild Ginger (Asarum canadense)

Wild Ginger flower

Tastes ginger-ish and grows in wet places.  This beautiful flower is pollinated by beetles.

May Apple (Podophyllum peltatum)

May Apple flower

Not sure if it's true, but I've heard it takes seven years for May Apples to fruit.  All parts of the plant are poisonous, except for the ripe fruit, but good luck getting some before the local fauna.

Dogwood flower (Cornus canadensis)

This was a sweet shot of this dogwood blossom after it had fallen onto some deadwood.  

Lots of fallen dogwood flowers litter the ground after all the storms lately.

Shooting Star (Dodecatheon meadia) 

Shooting Star

This was the first time I've seen these in the wild.  Awesome!

Jack in the Pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum)

I love the fantastic fantasy-like colors and shape of these.

Ohio Buckeye (Aesculus glabra)

Ohio Buckeye

Ah, the state tree.

Germinating acorns 

This was so cool to see a bunch of these germinating right in the middle of the muddy trail today.

Paw paw flower Asimina triloba)

One of my very favorite plants and fruits!  The flower is pollinated by flies.  Some people tie bags of rotten meat in the trees to attract the pollinators.  The paw paw is the largest native fruit in North America.  It tastes like banana custard, yum!

The Magical Morel Mushrooms (Morchella spp.)

Morels are another local delicacy.  The tastiest mushroom!  It's always an adventure morel hunting; some days you'll find one, some days you'll find twenty.  They smell and taste earthy and tempting.  With the ridiculous amount of rainfall we've had, they are popping up more this year, often in the most unexpected places.

Some people say all this rain is a natural progression, like the ice ages, some say it's climate change, some say it's a spiritual lesson about slowing down.  Maybe it's all of the above, but it definitely makes me think about what water means to to life . . . and how fun it is to jump in puddles!

What I've Been Waiting For! (or Hallelujah It's Finally Freaking Spring!)

Woohoo, it's Spring, Happy Spring!
We had a delightful hike in Spring Grove Cemetery today.  It was such beautiful poetic justice: in Spring Grove, we saw the first spring beauty flowers, on the first day of Spring!  I couldn't believe how many flowers are blossoming right now.  The spring ephemerals are out.  They're called that because they only blossom for a short time, then they're gone.  So catch 'em quick!

I just couldn't wait to share these wonders.  So, here they are for your viewing pleasure:

Spring Beauty (Claytonia virginica)

The first Trout Lily (white) and the last Winter Aconite (yellow) (Erythronium albidum, Eranthis hyamelis)

Siberian Squill (Scilla siberica)

I hope this inspires you to get out in the woods and take a hike!

Today's Adventure

I have Spring Fever, bad!  I had the flu for the beginning of the week, but managed to ward off the majority of it with the help of herbs; I'm so grateful to the plants.  I was about to lose it, huddled up inside my stuffy apartment while the weather is so gorgeous with the first tinges of Spring.  

So today I finally got out for a hike with one of my besties, Dan.  Dan calls best friends, besties.  We can be super silly together.  We started this "Friday hikey hike" (as he calls it) about two years ago.  And almost every Friday since we have hiked in sun, rain, snow, wind, or whatever.  Others come and go, but we hold strong because we have this undying love of the woods (and somewhat flexible schedules).  Seriously, if I don't get out in the woods everyday, I start to get cranky. A little obsessive? Yes!

Sunday I saw the very first spring ephemeral wildflower, Harbinger of Spring!  I wait with as much patience as I can muster to see these amazing tiny beauties.  The sight of them gives me so much hope.  It's like an analogy for life: just like nature is reborn every spring over and over again, so we have the opportunity for rebirth over and over again, to make ourselves into who we dream to be.

Harbinger of Spring

Harbinger of Spring, or Erigenia bulbosa, is in the Apiaceae, or carrot, family.  It's also been called Pepper and Salt because it tastes like guess what.  I think it's pretty tasty myself.  It's native to this area and all of the midwest, spreading north to Canada and south almost to Florida, west to Kansas and east to New York.

Here's some other pics I'm excited about from today's hike.

Witch hazel in bloom

Look close and you can see the first tiny trout lily buds

Somebody has got to figure out how to make a bench or something out of this.  Wish I could lift it!

The coolest beech log in the world!

And then, when I got  home:

Garter snake sunning itself under the overcast sky

Hope you enjoyed our first adventure.  Let me know what you think.

Yay and Welcome!

Hooray you made it!  Welcome to my brand new blog, I'm glad you're here!  If you haven't noticed yet, I really like exclamation points.  I am very colorful (I'm actually wearing rainbows and stars right now), and tend to get excited about the small stuff.

My two favorite things to do are spend time with my daughter and hike.  People are amazed by the latter favorite when they find out I live in Cincinnati (of all places).  But Cincinnati actually has a ginormous amount of greenspace, 5000 acres in the city!  I am a total experiential scientist.  I love to strap on my binoculars, my camera, my boots, head into the woods, and get dirty.  With mothering and hiking, I found out that if you take things slowly enough you notice all kinds of amazing things that you might never see or hear otherwise, and sometimes you avoid some nasty falls (in mothering and hiking).

So brew up a tasty cup of tea (in the not too distant past, I had my own tea company), strap on your virtual boots and let's go on an adventure!  And I really would love to hear all about your adventures, too!